Sean Dolan's have their eyes on this season's Junior Championship
Geoffrey McGonigle's men were well worth the win over Doire Trasna
Sean Dolan's 2-11 ... Doire Trasna 0-15
Sean Dolan's sent a message that they want to go all the way in this season's Junior Championship with an emphatic victory over Doire Trasna.
Geoffrey McGonigle's men, with Odhran McKane back and scoring 2-04 of their tally, were well worth the win after a second half performance inspired by half time substitute Paul Clifford who was superb.
Pearses will point to some notable absentees like Eoghan Quigg, Davy Officer and Sean Fleming among others but this was still a game Trasna will feel they should have taken something from, but they never quite recovered their composure from Odhgran McKane's 39th minute penalty which put Dolans in front for the first time in the game. Indeed Dolan's wouldn't be caught after that.
The opening exchanges were all Trasna with strong runners like Ryan Lindsay, Conor O'Donnell, Oran Donnelly and Cormac Kelly causing the home side bother. Tom Casey's point inside the opening minute got the scoreboard working but Dolan's experience was already showing as a brilliant two-pointer from Eamon McGinley and one from a sideline ball by McKane put the Creggan men 0-4 to 0-1 up inside three minutes.
Those two moments of inspiration were against the run of play and it seemed normal service had been resumed with Trasna's response was to hit 0-8 unanswered, kicked off by a lovely Donnelly point and followed by a two point free from rising star Conor O'Donnell who was superb throughout.
That levelled proceedings and after five successive Micheal McNaught frees put the visitors 0-9 to 0-4 ahead it seemed Parses would turn the screw but they failed to score for the final 10 minutes of the first half in which time Niall Friel, Ryan McLaughlin, McKane (f)and Caolan McCosker ensured only the minimum would separate the teams at the break
Pearses continued to own the ball second half but with Clifford introduced Dolan's suddenly had an extra counter attacking threat which proved crucial.
the home side were 0-10 to 0-8 behind with the game's pivotal moment arrived and it was Clifford who was the architect. His superb run was only stopped by a foul inside the square and despite getting his pass away to McKane who shot was superbly saved by Flynn Doherty, referee Damien Harkin brought play back for the penalty. Up stepped McKane and Dolan's led 1-08 to 0-10.
Clifford was causing mayhem and it was a foul on him which allowed McKane to add to the tally either side of frees from Casey and McNaught which kept Pearses within one but just when it looked like they might draw level, Dolan's - and McKane - had a second goal with eight minutes left.
McKane did well to field a high, wayward shot and once he got his head up and swapped passes with Luke Clarke, there was only one outcome as he blasted into the net for 2-10 to 0-12.
Credit Trasna they threw the kitchen sink at their city rivals in a bid to rescue the game and almost managed it too as O'Donnell, McNaught (f) and O'Donnell again from a '45 took them to within one with the visiting support howling for an injury time penalty when Cormac Kelly was sent crashing against a post as he tried to grab the equaliser.
The penalty never came and it was fitting that the final say of a superb second half fell to Clifford. The Dolan's substitute picked up possession in his own half and ran the entire Pearses half before fisting over the insurance point which capped a brilliant cameo.
For Pearses there were positives, notably O'Donnell who ran Clifford and McKane close for the game's best player while Dolan's proved they will have plenty to say about the destination of this championship.
Scorers and Teams
Sean Dolan's scorers: Odhran McKane 2-4 (1pen, 1tp, 2f); Eamon McGinley 0-2 (1tp); Niall Friel 0-1; Ryan McLaughlin 0-1; Caolan McCosker 0-2; Paul Clifford 0-1.
Doire Trasna scorers: Micheal McNaught 0-8 (8f); Conor O'Donnell 0-4 (1tpf, 1 '45'); Tom Casey 0-2 (1f); Oran Donnelly 0-1.
Sean Dolan's: Joe Gallagher, Ryan McCallion, Ruairi Thompson, Paul Thompson, Conor McCosker, Caoimhin Thompson, Ryan McLaughlin, Luke Clarke, Eamon McGinley, Oisin Porter, Caolan McCosker, Niall Friel, Odhran McKane, Gearoid McDermott, Emmett Coyle. (Subs) Paul Clifford for N Friel, HT; Sean O'Donnell for L Clarke, 53mins;
Doire Trasna: Flynn Doherty, Niall Doherty, Mark Healy, Cathal McKane, Lorcan Doherty, Conor O'Donnell, Oran Donnelly, Cormac Kelly, Caolan Doyle, Somhairle McFadden, Dylan Deery, Ryan Lindsay, Ciaran McGowan, Tom Casey, Micheal McNaught. (Subs) Jack McCarron for R Lindsay, 57mins.